News and notes

Baptista's lighting retrofit wins environmental honors

Franklin - Baptista's Bakery earned an Environmental Stewardship Award from Orion Energy Systems following a large-scale lighting retrofit project that will save Baptista's a projected $65,000 a year on electricity costs while benefiting the environment.

Sustainable Lighting Solutions of Elgin, Ill., completed the project.

Based on Baptista's projected annual savings, the return on investment will be less than two years. Annual reduction of kilowatt hours is expected to be 613,875, and 396.9 tons of carbon dioxide will be indirectly removed from the atmosphere, according to a news release.

Holz nominated for 'Time' auto dealer honor

Hales Corners - Jerome J. Holz, owner and president of Holz Motors, a Chevrolet dealership, has been nominated for the 2013 "Time" Dealer of the Year Award.

Holz is one of a select group of 57 dealer nominees from across the country that will be honored at the 96th annual National Automobile Dealers Association Convention and Exposition in Florida in February.

As exclusive sponsor, Ally Financial will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee's charity of choice.

It is that strong connection to the local community that has inspired Holz and his two daughters to be enthusiastic supporters of area causes. They formed the Holz Family Foundation in 1996 to donate to numerous organizations and charities, including the Milwaukee County Zoo, After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, St. Mary's Food Pantry, St. Mary Catholic Faith Community, Catholic Memorial High School, Jewish Family Services, Christ Lutheran School and the Salvation Army.

Smaller police agencies - those with 20 or fewer sworn officers - often do not have the economy of scale to absorb capital costs and make investments in needed, but expensive equipment, an OJA news release said.

Smaller police agencies also are frequently overlooked in many competitive grant opportunities, which may have eligibility or grant criteria that favors larger agencies, it went on to say.

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